German Patent No. DE 4027354 describes a method and a device for detecting knocking, in which a measuring signal of a knock sensor is examined in a measuring window during a combustion process in a cylinder of an internal combustion engine. The examination determines whether the combustion occurred with knocking. Knocking combustion in the cylinder of an internal combustion engine refers to an uncontrolled combustion process, in particular a combustion process in which controlled ignition of the combustion mixture by an ignition spark does not occur, but rather self-ignition occurs. With such knocking combustion, unacceptably high pressures or temperatures occur in individual parts of the combustion chamber, and there is danger of damage to the internal combustion engine. The sense and purpose of a method or device for detecting knocking is therefore to operate the internal combustion engine in an operating range in which knocking combustion is avoided. On the other hand, operation as close as possible to this zone of knocking combustion is desirable, since the combustion process occurs particularly economically and cleanly there.